The embodiments described herein relate generally to delivering reliable electric power to electronic devices and more particularly, to devices and methods for improving electric components configured to provide uninterrupted and/or reliable electric power to electronic devices to mitigate the effects of power grid irregularities.
Reliable electric power systems are increasingly sought to provide uninterrupted electric power to electronic devices during power grid interruptions, irregularities, and/or outages. In some instances, electronic equipment can perform tasks of such importance that interruption of the electric power delivered thereto can result in substantial negative consequences. For example, power interruption to electric and/or electronic equipment included in a hospital, data center, and/or the like can lead to large-scale impacts on patient's health, safety, commerce, etc.
Electrical power failures, interruptions, and/or faults can be caused by a large number of factors, including equipment failure, supply capacity, power surge, and/or the like. To mitigate the effects of power interruption or irregularity, electric power supply devices downstream of the power grid (e.g., back-up power systems and/or the like) can be used to provide electric power during a power grid interruption and/or irregularity. For example, in some instances, a local electric power supply (e.g., a data center one-line) can include batteries, capacitors, generators, uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs), and/or the like. As the complexity of the electrical load to which electric power is supplied increases, the need for local power systems with higher capacity and/or complexity similarly increases. As such, local power systems can form complex electric circuits, which are often difficult to repair, scale, upgrade, and/or the like. For example, some local power systems configured to supply electric power to a data center or the like, include multiple low voltage UPSs that supply electric power to the electronic devices (e.g., servers), cooling systems, and/or the like, and include at least one medium voltage generator that supplies power to the low voltage UPSs in the event of a power grid interruption. Such arrangements can lead to uneven load balancing, can be relatively inefficient, and/or can have choke points or the like that can result in some components being used to capacity while other components are underutilized. Moreover, some known power systems and/or components thereof are deployed and/or housed within a facility that can result in the use of space within a facility (e.g., a data center), which could otherwise be used for value-added equipment.
Thus, a need exists for improved devices and methods for improving electric components configured to provide back-up electric power.